BAE Systems Inc. had previously announced on March 6 the delivery of a prototype named AMPV Turreted Mortar to the U.S. Army. This prototype features the new ExMEP top plate, which not only reinforces the AMPV chassis but also allows for the quick installation of various mission-specific equipment, including the remotely controlled 120mm NEMO mortar turret. The vehicle is operated by a three-person crew comprising a commander and two crew members who manage the mortar operations.
This prototype was developed under the U.S. Army’s FIFT (Mortar Future Indirect Fire Turret) program, which aims to integrate a turret system with a 120-mm automatic mortar into both the wheeled IAV Stryker for Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCT) and the tracked AMPV for Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT). The wheeled variant of the program also includes collaboration with Patria Land Systems and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA).
The AMPV Mortar Carrier is one of five variants of the AMPV currently in production for the U.S. Army. At the AUSA 2023 exhibition in Washington D.C. (October 9-11, 2023), BAE Systems showcased a new prototype variant equipped with a Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS), also incorporating ExMEP solutions. Additionally, in August 2023, BAE Systems signed a contract for the full-scale production of AMPV vehicles, set to replace the aging M113 family vehicles, approximately 300 of which were recently supplied to Ukraine.
The NEMO system itself first demonstrated its firing capabilities for the U.S. Army on September 11, 2019, on a Patria 8×8 chassis. The FIFT program was initiated on August 2, 2018. The NEMO turret system meets all required specifications including caliber, barrel length, high automation level, range, ammunition storage, and a digital fire-control system.
